Media Listing March 2014

GLOBAL

Human Rights Council holds a High-Level Panel on promoting and protecting the human rights of migrants: A high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming that focused on the promotion and protection of the human rights of migrants was held in Geneva. According to the panelists abuses against migrants were taking place every day and in every region of the world. But it was noted that the growing political readiness to discuss the problems faced by migrants and to identify the best policies to help them is encouraging .(United Nations Office at Geneva News & Media – 4/03/14)

Migration on the move: The human development potential of managed migration is highlighted in an opinion piece written by former WTO Director-General Peter Sutherland and IOM's current Director-General William Lacy Swing (Project Syndicate – 17/03/14)

UNHCR report shows leap in asylum applications for industrialized countries: UNHCR issued a report saying there was a sharp rise in asylum claims in 44 industrialized countries over the course of last year, driven primarily by the crisis in Syria. Among the top-10 countries of origin, six are experiencing violence or conflict – Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Iraq and Pakistan. (UNHCR News Stories ­ - 21/03/14).

EGYPT

UN urges Sudan, Egypt to take tougher stance on human trafficking: Members of the UN Human Rights Council have called on Egypt and Sudan to take action to investigate and prosecute human traffickers accused of kidnapping, torturing, and killing Eritrean refugees in the Sinai Peninsula. They have also called on both countries to identify and prosecute any security officials who may have colluded with traffickers. (Sudan Tribune – 17/03/14)

ERITREA

UN expert warns about persisting human rights violations linked to the national service: The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea expressed deep concern about persisting human rights violations in the country in the context of the Eritrean national service. Collecting first-hand information from Eritrean refugees/migrants living abroad, the Special Rapporteur stated that: “The main reasons spurring Eritreans to flee their country are linked to the indefinite national service and the constant fear of being targeted.” (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights News – 31/03/14)

Ethiopia struggles with S. Sudanese refugee influx: Thousands of refugees have entered Ethiopia via a single entry point at Pagak, which was only established a few weeks ago. As more refugees arrive, the situation has deteriorated, with aid workers now calling for international intervention. According to UNHCR there are 72,000 refugees from South Sudan in Ethiopia. (Turkish Press.com – 20/03/14)

Police stop over 1,500 migrants at Spain-Morocco border: Euronews reports that in two waves 1,500 people attempted to breach Spain’s border with Morocco but were stopped by border agents. Spain’s Interior Minister stated that ‘there is a huge wave of migration, with thousands and thousands of people trying to enter illegally in Spain and …the European Union.’(Euronews – 5/03/14).

Spain Struggles to Halt Migrants at Two Enclaves: According to Spain’s Interior Minister about 80,000 African migrants are heading for Spain’s two enclaves along the Moroccan coast, leaving Spain struggling to contain the efforts that are coming in larger and increasingly coordinated surges in recent days. The Interior Minister added that the situation the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla faced was a problem not only for Spain, but for all of Europe and needed to be handled “in cooperation with the European Union.” (The New York Times – 6/03/14)

Spain to Strengthen Border with Morocco in Melilla: Spain’s Interior Minister announced that $2 million will be spent on improving the border fence separating the Spanish city in Africa from Morocco in order to deal with migration pressures from sub-Saharan Africa. The improvements will include an unclimbable net and thermal-imaging monitoring cameras. Army troops will not be deployed to strengthen monitoring. (Latin American Herald Tribune – 6/03/14)

Interior Minister declares “state emergency” during visit to Melilla: Spanish Interior Minister spoke of a state of emergency in Melilla in which a situation of migratory pressure exists. The Minister also defended Spanish Civil Guard officers who fired rubber bullets at African migrants who were swimming to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. 15 people died in the incident. According to the Minister, any criticism against the Civil Guard Officers ‘is unjust, undignified and immoral’.(El Pais in English – 6/03/14)

No region prosperity if Mediterranean remains ‘sea of death’ – Letta: According to the former Italian Prime Minister Enrioc Letta, there will not be prosperity in the region if the Mediterranean remains a sea of death. Addressing the Economist business roundtable organised in Malta, Letta said that irregular migration was one of three main conditions which Europe had to address if it wanted to grow. He added that migration flows should be on top of the EU's agenda. (Malta Today – 7/03/14)

Sea Swallows the Stories of Africans Drowned at Ceuta: The President of the Palma-Palmilla Immigrants Association in Spain says that the actions of the Spanish border authorities cannot be justified. He spoke to Inter Press about the death of 15 migrants who attempted to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The Spanish Civil Guard fired rubber bullets to drive back the victims. He called on the Spanish government to hold a ‘proper’ investigation and the prosecution and trial of “those responsible for giving the order to fire” on people “who were neither aggressive, nor represented a danger to anyone.” (Inter Press Service – 10/03/14)

Migrants storm across Morocco-Spain border fence: About 500 migrants stormed through the fog across the border fence from Morocco into the Spanish territory of Melilla Tuesday, the biggest such crossing in nearly a decade, officials said. The charge, described by authorities as "violent" with migrants throwing sticks and stones, raised pressure on Madrid as it struggles with a flood of desperate Africans trying to reach Europe. (AFP – 18/03/14)

UN calls for more EU solidarity on immigration: The UN says there is a need for solidarity and responsibility-sharing measures regarding immigration in the EU. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) says it has repeatedly called upon European and other governments to co-operate in order to prevent loss of life at sea. It has also stressed that apart from strengthening further rescue operations, there is a need to create legal migration alternatives to dangerous irregular movements for refugees. (New Europe Online – 19/03/14)

Italian ships rescue more than 2,000 migrants in 48 hours: Italian naval and coastguard vessels rescued more than 2,000 migrants travelling in boats from North Africa over the past 48 hours, authorities said on Wednesday, underlining the scale of illegal migration into southern Europe (Reuters – 19/03/14)

Italy rescues more than 4,000 migrants, operations ongoing: Italy's navy has rescued more than 4,000 migrants from overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily in the past four days. This week's warm spring weather has brought calm seas and a surge in new arrivals. Most migrants pay more than $1,000 to criminal gangs in increasingly chaotic Libya to make the crossing to Italy - and the European Union - that killed hundreds last year. ( Reuters – 21/03/14)

Border chiefs’ warning on migration: The EU’s border agency, Frontex, has reached the unsurprising conclusion that, given the political instability throughout North Africa but most especially in Libya and Egypt, this coming spring and summer will witness “high migration pressure” in the central Mediterranean. (Times of Malta – 21/03/14)

Common European Asylum System: challenges and perspectives: According to the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, the 2013 rules on the common European asylum system will lead to fairer, quicker and better quality asylum decisions. There will also be greater protection of unaccompanied minors and victims of torture. (EU Press Release Database – 24/03/14)

Italian navy rescues 128 boat migrants: Italy's navy said on 27/03/14 that it had rescued 128 migrants from Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Syria from a boat crossing the Mediterranean which got into difficulty off the coast of Sicily. (AFP – 27/03/14)

Israel's warped refugee policy: Op-ed piece. According to the author, Israel has turned refugee laws upside down. He argues that the new amendment to the Prevention of Infiltration Law, which passed after the High Court rejected the previous amendment, undermines the refugees’ liberty by making it possible to imprison them in the Holot facility in the Negev without any time limitation. When there is a threat of endless imprisonment hovering over the asylum seekers, “voluntary” departure is not really voluntary. (Haaretz – 5/03/14)

Israel flew migrants to third countries in Africa: Israel’s Interior Minister confirmed that several Eritrean and Sudanese migrants who had been held in detention centers in southern Israel were flown, courtesy of the government, to countries in Africa for permanent resettlement recently. (The Times of Israel – 5/04/14).

Netanyahu aide asks watchdog to censor report on asylum seekers: An aide of Israel’s Prime Minister asked the Israeli State Comptroller to impose restrictions on the latter’s report in the handling of asylum-seekers. The report (due for publication in May) is reported to complain of a lack of policy and of long-term thinking about asylum seekers living in Israel. It also rejects the claim that the Holot facility will solve the problems caused by the presence of 50,000 asylum seekers in Israel. (Haaretz – 17/03/14)

What are they hiding in the report on asylum seekers? Op ed piece querying the necessity of imposing a gag order on the state comptroller’s report on Israel’s treatment of asylum-seekers. It argues that If the Israeli state’s behavior toward the asylum seekers were decent, humane and also legal, there would have been no need to conceal or change the report. (Haaretz – 18/03/14)

Israel’s Two-Step Solution to African ‘Infiltrators’: To maintain the state’s Jewish ethno-religious character, Israel has implemented a two-step solution to their non-Jewish African problem. The first step has been to shut down the growth of African migrants entering Israel through the Sinai Peninsula by building a 240km border fence with Egypt. The second step has been to clear Israel of those Africans already inside. (International Policy Digest – 25/03/14)

Kenya: Police Arrest 19 Ethiopians at Kombani in Kwale County: Investigations are ongoing to determine their hosts and destination country. The police stated that most aliens are headed to South Africa, and the ‘issue [of people smuggling] had decreased but is emerging again’ The Ethiopians will be charged for being in the country illegally. (The Star – 5/03/14)

Kenya orders Somali refugees back to camps after attacks: Kenya ordered all Somali refugees living in urban areas to return to their camps in a bid to end attacks by Islamist militants carried out in retaliation for Kenya's intervention in neighbouring Somalia. Until now, refugees who could support themselves or were in need of specialised education or medical care had been allowed to live in urban areas. (Thomson Reuters Foundation – 25/03/14)

S. Sudanese accuse Ethiopian embassy in Kenya of denying visas: South Sudanese who recently entered Ethiopia from Kenya have accused the Ethiopian embassy in Nairobi of allegedly denying them travel visas. The refugees who originally fled the current conflict to Kenya and managed to cross the borders to Ethiopia this week claimed Kenyan authorities have restricted both land and air travels for South Sudanese headed to Ethiopia (Sudan Tribune – 31/03/14).

KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA:

Saudis' Mass Expulsions Putting Somalis in Danger: Human Rights Watch calls on Saudi Arabia to immediately introduce procedures allowing refugees, including those from Somalia, to seek asylum or other forms of protection. Saudi Arabia is currently in the process of deporting undocumented workers. According to Human Rights Watch, the deportations which began in late 2013 are anticipated to continue as the Saudis are expected to expel thousands more. (Human Rights Watch – 18/03/14)

Saudi deports 370,000 migrants over 5 months: Saudi Arabia says it has deported 370,000 foreign migrant workers from the kingdom over the past five months. Interior Ministry says that the foreigners deported have violated labour laws and are form different countries. 18,000 are currently held in detention. Human rights organizations say that many are held in appalling conditions while they wait for deportation. (Washington Post – 20/03/14)

KUWAIT

Kuwait bans Ethiopian migrants and deports nearly 13,000 domestic workers: Kuwait’s ministry of interior launched raids on recruitment agencies. It arrested 12,984 domestic workers in one night and intends to deport them shortly – without granting them access to legal services or to a trial to contest their status. Among the 12,000+ domestic workers arrested, 2,136 were Ethiopians; 234 females and 1,902 males. (Migrant Rights.org – 23/03/14).

MOROCCO

Conference on integration of regularized migrants in Morocco: The Moroccan government is working on implementing a new policy that will include the regularization of several categories of migrants. In order to ensure that the integration of migrants allowed to stay is sustainable, IOM is organizing an international conference in Rabat on 10th and 11th March 2014 titled: "The New Migration Policy: Which Integration Strategy? “ (IOM Press Room – 11th March 2013).

Draft rules for refugees ‘harsh and impractical’: Home Affairs’ draft immigration regulations could be damaging to asylum seekers while failing to stem the tide of immigrants flocking to South Africa, say refugee rights groups. The regulations, which closed to public comment on Friday, are expected to come into force soon – and, according to Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, will “usher in a new era of secure, efficient and sound management of international migration” (IOL News – 9/03/14)

Zimbabwe: Trafficking in Persons Bill Before Parliament: The Trafficking in Persons Bill which seeks to domesticate the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially of women and children, was tabled before Parliament on Tuesday. (AllAfrica.com – 28/03/14)

SOUTH SUDAN

Refugees ‘in poor shape’, children hardest hit: UN: People fleeing conflicts in Central African Republic and South Sudan are growing increasingly sick and hungry, with children particularly at risk, United Nations aid agencies said. Many of those fleeing from South Sudan into Ethiopia are also malnourished. (Arab News – 5/03/14)

UNHCR to fund efforts to combat human trafficking in Sudan: The Sudanese government has announced that it received financial assistance from UNHCR to be allocated among the police and other regular forces to combat human trafficking in eastern Sudan. The governor of Kassala state in the past demanded the UN agencies to cooperate with Sudan in fighting against international human trafficking gangs active in the border between Sudan and Eritrea. He added that Sudan and its neighbors have deeply suffered from the inhumane practice. (Sudan Tribune – 05/03/14).

Sudan: Combating Human Trafficking in the East: UNHCR and IOM are implementing a comprehensive strategy to support the Sudanese Government’s efforts to protect migrants (as well as other potential victims) from the risk of human trafficking. UNHCR’s Representative in Sudan stated that the adopted strategy highlights the need for a range of responses to address human trafficking. (Sudan Vision – 08/03/14)

Egypt’s border guard commander in Sudan for talks on joint force: The head of the Egyptian border guard arrived in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Monday for discussions on the deployment of joint forces to the borders between the two countries. It is reported that the goal of deploying joint border units is to prevent smuggling and human trafficking. (Sudan Tribune – 17/03/14)

UN urges Sudan, Egypt to take tougher stance on human trafficking: Members of the UN Human Rights Council have called on Egypt and Sudan to take action to investigate and prosecute human traffickers accused of kidnapping, torturing, and killing Eritrean refugees in the Sinai Peninsula. They have also called on both countries to identify and prosecute any security officials who may have colluded with traffickers. (Sudan Tribune – 17/03/14)

UGANDA:

New risk of waterborne diseases in refugee camps in Uganda: Plan International warns that waterborne diseases could pose a new threat to South Sudanese refugees in Uganda as the rainy season approaches. Camps housing thousands of people stand on low-lying ground and could be prone to flooding. There are concerns that the combination of rain and lack of sanitation could result in diarrhea and diseases. (Thomson Reuters Foundation – 17/03/14)

Ugandan authorities struggle to cope with influx of S. Sudanese refugees: Ugandan authorities say the country has witnessed a huge spike in the numbers of South Sudanese refugees crossing into Uganda. According to statistics from Uganda’s three main resettlement camps about 70,000 South Sudanese refugees crossed into Uganda in the period from December to February. Currently, about 500 are arriving daily. (Sudan Tribune – 22/03/14).

MSF Struggles to Help South Sudan Refugees in Uganda : The emergency medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says it is struggling to provide care for the overwhelming number of refugees pouring into Uganda from South Sudan (Voice of America - 27/03/14)

251 DRC Refugees Killed in Boat Accident: The U.N. refugee agency is moving to help family members and victims of a boat accident that the Democratic Republic of Congo says left 251 people dead. The boat full of Congolese refugees capsized on Lake Albert last Saturday after leaving Uganda, bound for the DRC (Voice of America 28/03/14)

YEMEN

Migrants die in Yemen boat sinking: Forty-two African migrants drowned when their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen (in the southern Shabwa province). A Yemeni naval patrol saved at least 30 people who were taken to a refugee camp in the town of Mayfaa (BBC News – 9/03/14).

Boat tragedy involving refugees and migrants in the Gulf of Aden: UNHCR has urged countries in the region to implement measures to help identify refugees and other people with protection needs among those taking to the sea. UNHCR has also called on donor countries and civil society organizations to become more engaged in mixed-migration issues in the Horn of Africa, so as to improve humanitarian responses and help save lives. (Thomson Reuters Foundation – 11/03/14)

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